M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital opens 'short-stay observation unit' amid increase in patients
Stethoscopes hang during a press event in an ENT practice. Photo: Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa (Photo by Sebastian Gollnow/picture alliance via Getty Images)
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood is opening a new "short-stay observation unit" to help with capacity issues many health systems across the country are facing.
In a press release on Thursday, the hospital said capacity issues are stressing hospitals nationwide due to the number of patients who are seeking care increases, and the ability to discharge them to more appropriate levels of care decreases. St. John's Hospital has faced a 5% rise in inpatient visits and a 12% increase in emergency department visits since 2022.
To confront these challenges, the hospital says it has expanded the emergency department (ED), reorganized services and is opening a new, 16-bed "short-stay and observation unit." The hospital did this not using traditional construction, which can take time, but using a pre-fabrication technique with the construction firm, The Boldt Company, the release explains. The new unit was built 90% offsite in Appleton, Wisconsin, and then was recently installed on St. John's campus.
This is the first of its kind in the state of Minnesota, St. John's says.
"We’re facing a very real need for patient bed space in our country right now," said David Thomack, Boldt Chief Operating Officer. "Every day that is spent in planning, design or construction is another day that hospitals and patients must do without those beds. Using a modular approach, we’re delivering that space in half the time traditional construction would take, without sacrificing durability, quality or affordability, allowing healthcare providers to see patients months sooner."
The hospital says the benefits of this new short-stay observation unit include an "enhanced patient experience" that's conducive to recovery and observation, as well as "efficient resource utilization," which allows for flexible patient flow that will optimize hospital resources, reduce wait times, and ensure prompt medical access.